Charleston , South Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- Police officers Saturday accompanied the hearse carrying the body of Walter Scott to his South Carolina funeral service , where hundreds of mourners celebrated his life and death as a catalyst for change in America .

A pair of officers on motorcycles were part of the large procession delivering the father of four -- who was fatally shot in the back by a police officer -- to a service open to the public .

An overflow crowd gathered on a humid and occasionally rainy April afternoon at W.O.R.D. Ministries Christian Center in Summerville , which has a capacity of about 300 people .

The flag-draped casket of the U.S. Coast Guard veteran was wheeled inside the church as Scott 's relatives and friends followed . Some dabbed tears ; others embraced .

Hundreds , including local officials , assembled inside the packed sanctuary -- in corridors , under an awning at the entrance , wherever they could stand .

Silence filled the vast space as Scott 's daughter Samantha read a poem of love dedicated to her father .

Anthony Scott said God had selected his brother as a candidate for change in America .

`` The change will come , '' he said , bringing to the crowd to its feet .

The head of the church , George Hamilton , spoke of how Scott had brought members of his family to the church , of the agony of not only losing a family member but having to watch it happen on video .

The death of Scott , who was black , at the hands of a white police officer was `` motivated by racial prejudice , '' Hamilton said . It was `` an act of overt racism . ''

`` Hate came because Walter was an African-American , '' he said .

Hamilton said his remarks were not meant as an indictment of law enforcement , but he singled out the officer who killed Scott as a `` disgrace to the North Charleston Police Department . ''

`` There is gong to be change , '' he said . `` Walter 's death will not be in vain . ''

After the service , pallbearers gently lifted Scott 's casket into the hearse . Crowds poured from the church . A slow-moving procession of black cars then made its way to Live Oak Memorial Gardens in Charleston for the private burial .

Chris Stewart , an attorney for the Scott family , said the death represented more than an race issue .

`` It 's a human issue , '' he said . `` We 're getting emails from people in Arkansas telling us , ` I 'm a white male , and I 'm supporting this family . ' Their son is going to be remembered for changing the way we look at each other . ''

On Friday night , Scott 's open casket was draped with an American flag , and he was in a dark suit for his private visitation in Charleston . A Dallas Cowboys banner -- his favorite NFL team -- was placed outside the casket , and a figurine of a Cowboys player stood at his side .

But Scott 's family was missing .

They needed privacy , said Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley , who attended .

A week ago , Scott was killed in North Charleston after getting pulled over for a broken taillight .

A passer-by caught the shooting on cell phone video , and Officer Michael Slager was swiftly charged with murder . He was fired and faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted .

Who was Walter Scott ?

The video shows Scott running from an officer , who fires eight shots . Scott is struck five times ; he falls to the ground .

`` Nothing in this video demonstrates that the officer 's life or the life of another was threatened , '' National Urban League President Marc Morial said . `` The question here is whether the use of force was excessive . ''

But one witness is speaking of a struggle before the shooting . And at least one expert believes a murder charge may not hold up .

On Thursday , Gwen Nichols told CNN 's Brian Todd that she saw Scott and Slager scuffling at the entrance to a vacant lot .

`` It was like a tussle type of thing , like , you know , like , ` What do you want ? ' or ` What did I do ? ' type of thing , '' Nichols said . `` I did n't hear Mr. Slager saying ` Stop ! ' ''

Nichols ' account has similarities to Slager 's . He had told investigators that he had tussled with Scott over his Taser and that he feared for his safety .

A timeline of events

Criminal defense attorney Paul Callan said he believes Slager 's defense will play up the reported scuffle in arguing that this is not a murder case .

`` Defense attorneys will say this was a heat of passion shooting -- -LRB- that -RRB- this was something that he did suddenly after some kind of an altercation , a physical altercation with a suspect , '' Callan said . `` And that would constitute manslaughter under law , as opposed to murder , and it makes a huge difference in sentencing . ''

In South Carolina , a murder conviction requires a measure of premeditation .

But the account from the witness who recorded the cell phone video , Feidin Santana , paints a different picture .

He was walking to work when he saw Slager on top of Scott , he said , who was on the ground . Santana said he could hear the sound of a Taser in use .

He said he did n't see Scott go after the Taser , as Slager initially claimed . He said he believes Scott was trying to get away .

`` Mr. Scott never tried to fight , '' Santana said .

Neither the struggle nor the use of a Taser was captured on video , because Santana started recording shortly after that .

Investigators from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division found troubling inconsistencies from the very start , it said in a statement .

`` We believed early on that there was something not right about what happened in that encounter , '' division Chief Mark Keel said in a statement . `` The cell phone video shot by a bystander confirmed our initial suspicions . ''

Slager 's lawyer , Andy Savage , has complained that he `` has not received the cooperation from law enforcement that the media has . ''

Savage 's office said in a statement that it has yet to receive `` any investigative documents , audio or video tapes , other than a copy of Mr. Slager 's arrest warrant . ''

The news release added that the lawyer has been advised that the police union that Slager belongs to `` is no longer involved in the case . ''

Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon said Slager 's wife , Jamie , who is eight months ' pregnant , and his mother had a visit with him at the county detention center Friday . Slager was being held in isolation and being `` monitored for his mental health , '' Cannon said .

In a statement , one of Slager 's lawyers said the meeting lasted about an hour .

`` His wife and mom were tearful but strong , and they were all very grateful for the chance to see him in person , even if separated by a thick pane of glass , '' the statement said . `` They held up family photos -- and even Jamie 's ultrasound from earlier that day -- to remind him of all those who love him . Throughout the visit , Michael was focused on Jamie and their baby and was very relieved to know that she is being shown so much love and support by their families . ''

A second video , taken from a police dash cam , has also emerged from the day Scott died . It shows moments before the shooting , when things seemed to be going smoothly between Scott and Slager .

Scott apparently tells the officer that he has no insurance on the vehicle , and Slager returns to his car to do paperwork . Then Scott gets out of the car and runs out of the camera 's frame .

Scott was the subject of a bench warrant over $ 18,104.43 in unpaid child support at the time of the stop , according to court records . That was why he ran , lawyers for the family said after the funeral service .

U.S. Rep. James Clyburn , D-South Carolina , told reporters outside the service that Scott lost a $ 35,000-a-year job the first time he was jailed for failing to pay child support .

`` He said it was the best job he 's ever had , '' Clyburn said . `` Now you have to ask ... if you want to collect child support , there 's got to be income . And you ai n't going to make much income from jail . It seems to me that we need to take a look to how to deal with that issue without causing unemployment and the loss of freedom . ''

On Friday afternoon , police met with a man who was in Scott 's car , but the passenger 's name was n't in a police report obtained by CNN . He was detained briefly after the shooting , one officer wrote in the report .

Scott family attorney Chris Stewart said he was a co-worker and friend . But he did not identify the passenger by name .

On Friday , a few mourners trickled into the Fielding Home for Funerals . A white banner with a blue star near Scott 's casket displayed his favorite NFL team . It said : `` Tradition , the Cowboys way . ''

`` This is a heartbreaking tragedy for everyone in our community , '' said Riley , the mayor . `` It breaks everyone 's hearts . ''

CNN 's Polo Sandoval and Martin Savidge reported from Charleston , and Ben Brumfield and Ray Sanchez reported and wrote in Atlanta and New York .

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Police officers escort the funeral procession to the service

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Scott 's family did not attend his visitation ; they need privacy , mayor says

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Police meet with the man who was a passenger in his car when it was pulled over